Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup semi-final: Crusaders 1 Dungannon Swifts 0
Stephen Baxter celebrated his 898th game in charge of Crusaders with a thrilling 1-0 victory over Dungannon Swifts in Saturday’s Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup semi-final at Mourneview Park. The win sets up a repeat of last year's final with Ballymena United who overcame Larne on Friday night.
“We got there, it wasn’t the greatest spectacle for the fans at times, but semi-finals are often cagey affairs. People will only remember who won in a few weeks time and thankfully that was us” he said.
Substitute Declan Caddell scored the only goal of the game in injury time to send the Crusaders fans into rapturous cheers; and his side into a cup final on May 7.
Travelling fans from both sides were treated to a cagey first-half affair, highlighting the stakes involved. Crusaders looked the more likely to score and had the chance of the half in the 22nd minute. Ross Clarke delivered a trademark free-kick from the right, which was met by the head of a rising Philip Lowry eight yards out. Somehow, Swifts goalkeeper Declan Dunne kept the ball out at full stretch much to the relief of Dungannon boss Dean Shiels.
Matters didn’t improve thereafter with Dungannon losing chief goal-threat Rhyss Camplbell to injury after a collision with Clarke. As expected, the Tyrone side were happy to allow Crusaders plenty of possession and kept to a game plan of limiting service to Adam Lecky up front, something well achieved.
Baxter said “we knew they would sit back and they made it difficult at times for us, but it was up to us to find a way through”
The holders started the second half with noticeably more urgency, Paul Heatley going close twice in the opening five minutes. Firstly, failing to get enough on a low fizzing Rory McKeown cross and secondly with a fantastic hooked effort which went just wide of the far post after a knock-on from veteran substitute Jordan Owens.
On 55 minutes, Jordan Forsythe was inches away from having a contender for goal of the season. The midfielder struck a sweet volley from all of 25 yards which smashed off the right hand Dungannon upright and was cleared to safety.
The Swifts had their first clear effort two minutes later. The ball falling to Joe Moore 12 yards out after a scramble in the box, but the young winger blazed over the top when the goal beckoned.
Joe McCready could have won it for Dungannon after racing clear towards the Crusaders goal but captain Billy Joe Burns raced back to make a fantastic tackle.
As time ran out, both sides seemed to have settled for extra-time.
However a looped clearance from Lowry found its way to Heatley, who in turn sent the ball through to Caddell who lobbed the advancing Dunne to win it for Crusaders in the 92nd minute and turn Mourneview Park into a sea of red and black.
Baxter trusted his side to make a breakthrough: “We didn’t change our build up during the week, we knew in our heads what we had to do and even when time was running out I always thought we could nick one and luckily Declan stepped up to the mark with a fantastic finish”
It’s the end of the road for Dungannon and dejected manager Shiels made no excuses as they now turn their attention to Premiership survival with five crucial post-split fixtures coming up.
“Listen, that’s football. Fair play to Crusaders. I thought at times we played really well, but we just lacked that execution in the final third of the pitch. It will be a difficult few days but we will be up again with a lot to play for in the league.”
